Clothespin and clamp



Aprils, 1949. w. STINNE 2,466,284-

CLOTHESPIN AND CLAMP Filed Aug. 21, 1945 0 FIG.3.

Patented Apr. 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OLOTHESPIN AND CLAMPLeslie W. Stinne, Dallas, Tex.

Application August 21, 1945, Serial No. 611,735

2 Claims.

This invention relates to clothespins and clamps and more particularlyto clothespins consisting of complementary members held in clampingposition by a spring.

The principal object of the invention is to improve upon the old andwell known clothes clamp or pin of the spring jaw type through a novelconstruction which prevents springing apart of the clamp members whensubjected to accidental lateral pressures in opposite directions, whichoften occurs in normal use. The present invention not only seeks toobviate this objectionable and annoying characteristic but also toafford greater economy of manufacture and to produce a clamp whichoperates with greater smoothness and in which the tensioning means ofthe clamp cannot come into contact with the article engaged by theclamp.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has furtherreference to certain features of accomplishment which will becomeapparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is a perspective view of aclothespin or clamp constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the spring clip adapted to holdthe parts together for springing action, showing in solid lines therelaxed position and in broken lines, the extended position thereof, and

Figure ,3 is a view in vertical section, taken on line 33 on Figure 1,but drawn to a larger scale.

that of the loop to lie alongside each of the clamp Continuing with amore detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral l6 denotes aclamp member Whose tail portion H is deflected on its underside tocorrespond with that of the tail portion 52 of a companion clamp memberl3, so that when the said tail portions are brought together, theopposie ends I move apart to engage an object to be clamped when saidtail portions are released to the action of a spring Hi.

The spring l5 may be of any suitable material having highly resilientqualities and the present invention resides in the peculiar constructionand function of this spring. Primarily, the two jaws or clamp membersit) and 13 are held against lateral displacement by means of a tongue l6formed transversely across the member l3 at its members iii and ittowards the forward or clamping end of the device. fhe extremities 29 ofthe arms l9 are bent abruptly inwardly at right angles to the arms it tolie in grooves 2i and 2 la made in the outer faces of the members iiiand 53. When the spring clip 15 is removed from the clamp members andrelaxed, it assumes the form shown in Figure 2, with the arms iii incontiguous relationship. Thus, when in position on the members it andi3, the arms it are under continuous tension, which increases when thetail portions of the members are brought together.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the clamp members are heldpositively against other a" than relative rocking motion which is smoothuniment.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of somemodification and such modification as may be construed to fall withinthe scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to bewithin the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising complementaryclamping members fulcrumed for relative rocking displacement at theirmidsection and held against relative displacement, a spring elementpartially embracing and binding said members together at their fulcrum,said spring element having arms extending along the sides of saidclamping members in a forwardly direction and whose extremities lie atright angles thereto in grooves formed transversely in the outer face ofsaid members, to impose a constant force on and tending to close saidclamping members.

3 4 2. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp REFERENCES CITEDcompnsmg complementary clampmg members The following references are ofrecord in the held against other than rocking displacement and file ofthis patent, a. tension member partially embracing the midsection ofsaid members to bind the same in as- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS sembly andhaving an arm lying alongside each of Number Name Date said clampmembers whose extremities lie at 495 518 Russell Apr. 18 1883 rightangles to said arms in transverse grooves 3671139 Faulkingham 1 190.7 inthe outer faces of the operative ends of said members to impose acompressive force thereon. 10 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date LESLIESTINNE- 18,955 France May 27, 1914

